News

R15: Using more than one MI system to send your ILR data - impact on your funding payments and success rates


Following our previous communication on the issue of providers submitting 2011/12 ILR data and overwriting ‘A’ file submissions through use of multiple MI systems and the impact this will have on funding payments, success rates and allocations, we have been monitoring this closely over the last few weeks.

‘A’ and ‘B’ file submission issues

With the hard close of the 2011/12 R15 looming (16 November) we have found that over 10% of learning providers have fewer learners compared with their last ILR submission as at 06 August 2012.

Have you overwritten an ‘A’ file submission?

Some providers have overwritten their ‘A’ file submissions from one MI system, with an ‘A’ file from another system.

What does this mean for a provider?

This means that those providers that have overwritten an ‘A’ file may now have fewer learners submitted than previously. 

Have you appended one or more ‘B’ files from a second MI system to an initial ‘A’ file?

Some providers have adopted the approach of appending one or more B files from a second system to an initial A file and omitted to send all B files every time an A file has been sent. 

What does this mean for a provider?

This results in the Data Service not having 100% of your learner records, which could impact your funding payments, success rates and allocations.

How should a provider submit their 2011/12 R15 ILR files?

As we approach the hard close for 2011/12 year we would like to remind providers to send all your learner data for R15 in one ‘A’ file or append the data by submitting ‘B’ files by 16 November.

 

Best practice for submitting your 2011/12 R15 ILR files

  • We expect one ‘A’ file submission from each provider which should contain ILR data for ALL of your learners for all funding streams for both the Skills Funding Agency and the Education Funding Agency. 
  • With organisations using multiple MI systems to prepare ‘A’ files for learners from different funding streams, please note that each ‘A’ file you submit will overwrite any previous ‘A’ and ‘B’ files your organisation may have returned.


It is important that those responsible for making your organisation’s ILR data submissions are working together and that data for the funding streams: Employer Responsive, Learner Responsive, ESF and Community Learning are amalgamated into one ‘A’ file.

If you choose not to send a full ‘A’ file you should submit one funding stream as an ‘A’ file and append the others as one or more ‘B’ files.

  • You cannot split your data into separate A files and submit each file separately for the same return.  
  • Ideally if you have multiple ‘A’ files please merge these using the Learner Information Suite (LIS). 

A provider may send a ‘B’ file if learner records have changed since its last ILR return for 2011/12. Any change to the data for a learner, including all of the learning delivery records and any record that has been added, updated or deleted since the last return should be submitted in a ‘B’ file.

Over the course of the following week we will also be writing to those provider organisations we have identified as making such errors to reiterate the importance of coherently administering multiple ILR submissions from MI systems.


Guidance on 2011/12 R15 ILR file submissions:

  • Where a provider is using multiple MI systems to submit ‘A’ files for learners from different funding streams, we recommend that it merges these A files in the LIS so that it can send one ‘A’ file submission. 
  • If your organisation cannot deploy the LIS please call our Service Desk on 0870 2670001 or email servicedesk@thedataservice.org.uk who will advise you of the best course of action for submitting a single A file.
  • We recommend you carry out an internal audit in the first instance to identify if your organisation has multiple contacts with the funding agencies using different MI systems for ILR submissions.
  • Use the LIS to merge and check your data prior to submission.

Check your error reports

We continue to reiterate the importance of providers checking their error reports after each submission to the Online Data Collection system. Please open your Validation report and check the learner count to ensure that this number tallies with the total learner counts from all funding streams you are contracted to deliver.

Please note: this could seriously affect your funding payments, success rates and allocations! please get it right before 16 November!
 

Let us know! When you have submitted your ILR data for 2011/12

When you have submitted your learner data for the 2011/12 year error free,

please send an email to us at cvhdataservice@thedataservice.org.uk to confirm you will be sending no further data, quoting your UKPRN in the subject header.

If you use an external agency to manage your ILR data you must ensure this message is passed onto them. 

If you have any queries please contact our Service Desk on 0870 2670001 or email servicedesk@thedataservice.org.uk.